Thursday, July 26, 2012

CAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL BE SAVED?

The Penn State Scandal has given us
all an opportunity to re-focus on the role and importance of College Football
in Campus life.

The tragedy of Junior Seau has forced each of us to question
the future and the importance (or lack thereof) of College Football. Some feel the game will literally not exist
in 10 years, unless the issue of concussions and potential brain damage can be mitigated. Others feel if it exists, it
will be unrecognizable.

These two events have kick started a
conversation which has been whispered behind closed doors, but has now been
catapulted to the front of the consciousness of even the most ardent supporters
of the “game.”

The new Television contracts add
another element to the mix, which won’t be dealt with today.

But in an effort to continue the
discussions regarding the role of college football on campus and primarily the
issues of player injuries (specifically concussions), here are some thoughts which
will seem heretical (what else is new), but are offered in good faith to push
the discussion forward in how to improve the game and make it safer.

None of this is a criticism or
critique of Cal per se, but applies to all college programs—everywhere!

No doubt there are many more good
ideas out there which could improve the game and fan enjoyment immensely. I’ve broken 33 thoughts down into SAFETY, PUTTING THE “STUDENT” BACK INTO “STUDENT
ATHLETE,” DELEGATION OF RESOURCES, and just for the pure fun of it, some
rule changes that this Luddite would like to see—though they don’t really add
to safety or re-focusing the role of College football on campus.

Would love to hear your comments:

Go Bears,

Jeffrey Earl Warren ‘70

SAFTY:

1. Go Back to the single
bar facemask which will force defenses to tackle with their shoulders like we
did and they did back in the days of leather helmets. The facemask (which was
designed to protect faces) has become a weapon which spears and hurts people.

2. No launching when tackling. Like in rugby, at least one foot has
to be on the ground, unless one is tackling from behind.

3. Helmet to helmet (unless
obviously inadvertent) immediate ejection for that game and the following week.

4. You can only leave the field, twice each quarter. This will
force players to play both ways. That will make all players smaller (Big
guys don't have the cardiovascular systems to play 60 minutes). Many
injuries are caused by 300 pound guys who play only
16 plays per game. If they can go 50
or 60 minutes, at that size, more power to them.

PUTTING THE “STUDENT” BACK INTO “STUDENT ATHLETE”

5. Mandatory classroom
participation. Kids who miss class--don't play--no exceptions. Yes.
Attendance will be taken and reported to the coaches.

6. Faculty rep at
practice. Each practice begins with and ends with a 15 minute
"lecture" on anything: Politics, the constitution, history,
Shakespeare, art, science, math--whatever--just something to remind everyone
why they are where they are.

7. To remain eligible, players must show proof of attendance at at least
10 other sporting events or campus performances (theater, ballet etc.) each
semester.

9. Zero tolerance on taunting or show boating. SPORTSMANSHIP
should be brought to the forefront. Imagine what your grandfather would
tolerate and that would be the limit.

10. All decisions would be "Student first." Should a
coach be hired or fired? How will it effect the kids? What time
practice? How will it affect the kid? Can one play with an
injury? How will it affect the kid--not the chances of the team winning.

14. Coaches salaries can be no more than some multiple of tenured
professors (i.e. If tenured professors get $150,000 head coach's salary
can be no more than 15 times that and assistant coaches no more than 5 times
that--or whatever. This would be school specific, encouraging colleges to
pay their faculty more.

15. Time constraints: It
was John Wooden who said, “If you can’t get it done in an hour and a half, you
can’t get it done.” Practices are an
hour and a half each day—period-- with a half hour for showers and taping.

16. No Freshman eligibility
for varsity sports.

17. Have a Freshman and or JV team which plays local JR. colleges or
other Frosh teams.

18. No Spring practice or
mandatory off season workouts with coaches.

19. Play locally. One
cross country game per season.

20. Reduce seasons back to 9 games plus Bowls

RULE
CHANGES:

22. He who scores the touchdown has to kick the extra point.

23. Extra points must be brought out and kicked from where the ball is
"touched down"--like in Rugby. If the angle is too severe, run
an offensive play.

24. The ground CAN cause a
fumble. Tackled? The ball must stay in your possession.

25. Change the offensive line
blocking rules. Hands must be held in--no extending arms.

26. No more 'hand checking"
between receivers and DB's. It's pass interference, period.

27. No touchbacks. All kicks must be run out of the endzones.

28. Quarterbacks call their own plays. No "headsets" in
helmets.

29. Captains on the teams, not the coaches decide to take penalties or
not

30. Only players can call a timeout

31. If crowd makes too much noise and opposing team cannot hear signals,
Ref calls five yard delay of game penalty. He keeps calling it until it
calms down.

32. Collapsible goal posts. Put a hinge on the bottom so it comes
down immediately if tugged on or hit--ending fan rioting to tear down posts.

33.
Athletes can work as many hours as they want in “University sponsored
jobs” (Security at football games,
stadium cleanup, washing dishes, clerking in student store etc. Jobs pay standard rate (double minimum wage
or $15/hr). Universities are responsible
for monitoring and reporting.

About Me

I write a Weekly Column for the St. Helena Star and have a Weekly Radio Show on KVON 1440am (KVON.com) on Wednesday's at 5pm. My Columns are about daily small town life in rural St. Helena. I'm old school and often write about the "old Days." I'm a Capitalist an believe in individual liberty and the rugged individualist. I also do a weekly blog on my trips to the Cal Bears Football games--but you gotta luv the Bears to like it. Having no marketable skills I sell dirt (vineyards wineries, ranches and estates), having formerly been a Creative Director and Copy Writer in New York and S.F.